University of Al-Qarawiyyin

The University of Al-Qarawiyyin, located in Fez, Morocco, is often recognized as the oldest existing, continually operating degree-granting university in the world. Founded in 859 AD by Fatima al-Fihri, it initially served as a mosque and a center for Islamic studies. Over the centuries, Al-Qarawiyyin expanded its curriculum to include various subjects such as astronomy, mathematics, and philosophy. It has played a crucial role in the intellectual exchange between the Arab and European worlds, shaping education and scholarship in the region and beyond, and remains an important cultural and educational institution today.